1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to electrical devices for generating musical tones in stringed instruments, and more particularly to saddles and bridges having piezoelectric transducers engaged therein or thereto.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Stringed musical instrument saddles having piezoelectric transducers engaged thereto or disposed therewithin have been known for many years. Significant prior art includes the following patents.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,314,475 issued to L. R. Baggs, teaches a saddle having a piezoelectric transducer assembly disposed therewithin. The transducer assembly includes both horizontally disposed and vertically disposed piezoelectric elements, however the piezoelectric elements do not comprise a significant structural portion of the saddle, as is disclosed in the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,356,754 issued to L. R. Fishman, teaches a vibration transducer for a stringed instrument that has a piezoceramic wafer laminated to a brass plate (col. 4, 1. 43). U.S. Pat. No. 4,378,721 issued to K. Kaneko et al., teaches a pickup for a string instrument that has a transverse piezo element of ceramic powder mixed with a synthetic resin. U.S. Pat. No. 4,580,480 issued to W. H. Turner, teaches a simple piezo pickup for an acoustic guitar, comprising a piezo transducer 17 (col. 3, 1. 35) inserted beneath the saddle. U.S. Pat. No. 4,491,051 issued to L. M. Baucus, teaches four piezoelectric crystals, of alternating polarity that are enclosed in the lower part of a saddle structure between an upper ground conductor and a lower conductor which rests on an insulating sheet. An outer foil wrapping provides shielding (col. 14, 1. 48) and is insulated from the conductors by an insulator sheet (col. 14, 1. 39). U.S. Pat. No. 4,657,114 issued to T. P. Shaw, teaches a bridge pickup includes an array of piezo elements in a holder, encapsulated in a cast polymer member. U.S. Pat. No. 4,774,867 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,727,634 issued to L. R. Fishman, teaches small disk-shaped piezo crystals that are located between a resilient, conductive top layer and a ground plane. The top layer contacts the copper cladding of a circuit board. The assembly is inserted into a conventional saddle (col. 3, 1. 9). U.S. Pat. No. 4,030,396 issued to R. E. Mariner, teaches a piezo crystal that is embedded in resilient resin adjacent a mass (FIG. 4).